a place of love and beauty.

" I love to see the temple. I went inside today. I felt the Holy Spirit as I listened and I prayed. For the temple is the house of God a place of love and beauty. I prepared myself while I was young. It is a sacred duty."

 I was able to go through the temple for the first time and just thought i'd share my experience about how it went. Before  i got there i prayed to have an open mind and open heart so that the spirit could be with me. I also fasted which i think helped a ton. When i first walked in and was just waiting in the lobby i couldn't help but get a little teary eyed. It was like a dream. I was so much more than a dream really. I think that heaven will be like the temple for sure. It was so humbling to see everyone dressed in white and just the smiles that everyone had i couldn't help but feel loved by the people there and the love the savior has for me. i can't even begin to tell you how nice all the temple workers are. I think i hugged about twenty or so different sisters in there. Each of them made me feel so loved like they actually knew me on a personal level. I hope one day that I'll have the opportunity to serve in the temple with such righteous women. 

  Its so peaceful inside the temple and i completely forgot about the world out side of such sacred walls. I hope one day that my future home will be like the temple in the way it was so peaceful and inviting of the spirit. I really just can't explain all the feeling i had in there. It was a little crazy for my first time but everyone said that it just takes some getting use to. I'm lucky to have about one month to go through as many times as possible before I head out into the field. 

  Well, while i was in the celestial room i had to simply think and just look into those big beautiful mirrors. It's so awesome that if we keep ourselves worthy and keep the commandments and previous made covenants that we may have the opportunity to go to the temple. I thought about all the choices that i had to make to get to this point in my life and all the choices that i could have made. I love this gospel so much. The blessings that we receive are so amazing. It amazes me that he asks so little of us and if we are obedient all those blessings are ours. If i could have one wish I think it would be for everyone to make it to the temple someday. 

 So, i just thought i'd share another feeling i had with you. Sorry i keep rambling on so bear with me or you can just stop reading now haha. Okay so, i was a little hesitant about the whole garment thing. I heard a lot of people who said that garments were nice but they took a lot of getting use to and that they just were really hard to adjust too. I just assumed that, that would be my case but i was so wrong. My garments are probably my new favorite thing in the world. When i was in high school i loved going to school dances so that i could wear a pretty dress and get all dolled up. Those dances just made me feel so beautiful like all eyes were on me. I never knew what true beauty was until i put on my garments. I honestly have never felt so beautiful in my life. There is just something about them and what they represent that just make me feel so loved and amazing. I don't know, that was probably too much but really i have gained a testimony of garments and the temple and i believe without a doubt in my heart that the temple changes lives for the better. 

 the world we live in is tough, but so are we. I know the blessings that come with keeping the commandments and covenants made. I truly hope that everyone will strive to enter the house of The Lord so that they may receive those blessings as well. the temple truly is heaven on earth. 

  

elder stevenson.

Keanu Jamir Stevenson entered the Provo MTC on Wednesday. I love this guy more than I think anyone will ever understand. tonight has been rather rough, usually I would call up Keanu and we would go for a drive and I would just let everything out. obviously that won't happen tonight, it really won't happen for about two years, but I decided to blog about some of my favorite memories with him :) 

over the summer we would go on cousin dates at least once a week maybe more. this particular cousin date we made dinner and went to the movies. I remember we were making chicken and Keanu was so worried because he wasn't sure on how to thaw the chicken haha it was so funny! the movie we went to was called "the way way back" with Steve carell so we thought it would be hilarious. needless to say we were horribly wrong and it was the saddest movie ever made. this lovely photo above though was taken during a preview for a scary movie which I don't recall the name of haha. 

this is probably one of my favorite pictures we have together! this was our senior year, pine view game. it was such an intense game and I remember we went into double over time and almost didnt make it! I want to say the power went out but I think that was last years Super Bowl hahaa. anyways, I got all the cheerleaders to call Keanu "sugar booty" and so we cheered for our little "sugar booty all season :) 

you can now see where the name sugar booty came from. haha. this was one of the best days if summer in the history of ever. it was my first trip to the spillway all thanks to Keanu. we took so many funny pictures and it was just awesome to just be kids and not have a care in the world. my cousins are everything to me. I really am so blessed to be apart if such a close family. 

graduation was such a party! i know that there is no way possible that I would have made it through those brutal high school days without him. i will always cherish the times we would pull all nighters doing assignments for cullie's or Parker's class. or ditching class together so we could enjoy a nice "mental health day" haha he really is and was such a genuine friend in high school. he could have ate lunch with his buddies everyday but instead he would eat with me and help me study for other classes. it's just the little things that he did that really left an impact on me. 

cousin date at Durangos! I don't remember a whole lot about this day except we both got pork salads and drove around town blasting some good ol Cher Lloyd :) 

homecoming was such a fun night. obviously I didn't go with Keanu but he still made sure I was having fun the whole time and always was checking on and stuff. I've said it before and I'll say it a million times more he is the most genuine person I've ever met in my life. 

this is the day he got his mission call to Samoa. it was such a humbling thing for him to share with us. it was so amazing to see him get choked up. he isn't one who shows his "sensitive" side much but when he does you can't help but get choked up yourself. 

matea loves this guy probably as much as I do maybe even more haha. I loved seeing them play together. there is a 16 year gap between the two but he always made time to play chase or hide and seek with her. I know she may not remember the time he spent with her ten years from now but right now it means the world to her. 

 

I have plenty more memories with this wonderful guy right here but I'll save those for later. I miss Keanu so much. he's only been gone a few days but it already feels like forever. he has had the biggest impact in my life and I know that he will bless so many lives in Samoa. I can't express my gratitude for him and the example that he has shown me. I am so proud of him and his willingness to share the gospel light with those in need. I can't wait to join my boy in the mission field and help bring the world Gods truth. this picture is so dear to my heart because it was my last hug from my dear elder Stevenson for two years. I know The Lord will protect him and that he will be taken care of. it's without a doubt in my heart that this is why Keanu was sent here on earth at this time. to share the gospel. two years are going to fly right on by. love you, Kee! thanks for being the example that I need in my life :)